The Growth of Tom SawyerAnonymous8th Grade

Children as a whole have a propensity to rebel and cause mischief when they are younger, but this trait tends to disappear as they face challenges and begin to grow up. Mark Twain's classic novel from 1876, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, follows the title character through his many unusual exploits and displays his development into a more conscientious young man. This novel was partly written for the purpose of giving adults a look back at their youth, in an instructive manner; after all, Tom starts out as an immature boy, then begins to exhibit signs of entering adulthood as he faces increasingly challenging mental and physical circumstances. Although Twain initially establishes Tom as reckless and irresponsible, his development through his encounter at the graveyard and his experience on Jackson Island prove that children may behave immaturely but have a tendency to become more mature as they face hardships.

Tom’s growth was first displayed through the calamity he witnessed at the graveyard and his decision to step forward for the purpose of proving Muff Potter’s innocence. At first, Tom and Huck Finn essentially ignored the option of speaking out and saving Potter, because they “...wouldn’t be alive two days if that got found...